Dr. Dalton is a founding member of the Ottawa Institute of Cognitive Behavioural Therapy. She participated in the specialized Extramural Training Program at the Beck Institute for Cognitive Therapy and Research. She was also a clinical staff member at the Royal Ottawa Mental Health Centre, where she was responsible for the development of programming for major depressive disorder and bipolar disorder. She offers supervision and training for psychology and family medicine residents, as well as other mental health professionals. Dr. Dalton provides individual therapy for anxiety and mood disorders using CBT, and is co-directing the group therapy program being offered at the OICBT. An area of focus and proficiency is the assessment, diagnosis and treatment of anxiety, major depressive disorder and bipolar disorder.

Dr. Prabhu, who is now retired, is a founding member of the Ottawa Institute of Cognitive Behavioural Therapy. He has provided clinical services to children, youth, and their families for the past 30 years in both private as well as hospital based practice. While at the Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario, he served as head of the Mood and Anxiety Clinic. He was the Director of Training of the Internship Program in Clinical Psychology when at the Children’s Outpatient Department of the Royal Ottawa Hospital. As a Clinical Professor in the School of Psychology at the University of Ottawa he has provided supervision in CBT to residents in both Psychology and Psychiatry. His area of expertise is the assessment and treatment of mood and anxiety disorders and he has a particular interest in treating obsessive compulsive disorder.

Dr. François Rousseau

Dr. Rousseau is a founding member of the Ottawa institute of Cognitive Behavioural Therapy. He provides treatment to adults and seniors for mood disorders (including Major Depressive Disorder and Bipolar Disorder) and anxiety disorders. He uses a cognitive-behavioural therapy (CBT) approach, including Mindfulness-integrated Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (MiCBT). Prior to joining the OICBT, Dr. Rousseau worked in the outpatient and inpatient units of the Mood Disorders Program at the Royal Ottawa Mental Health Centre. Le Dr Rousseau offre des services en français et en anglais.

Dr. Telner, who is now retired, is a founding member of the Ottawa Institute of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy. He is the former head of Psychology at the Royal Ottawa Mental Health Centre. For many years, he was the head of cognitive behavioural therapy training in the Department of Psychiatry at the University of Ottawa. Dr. Telner was formerly an Assistant Professor of Psychiatry and Clinical Professor of Psychology at the University of Ottawa. He also participated in the specialized Extramural Training Program for Residency Training Directors at the Beck Institute for Cognitive Therapy and Research. Dr. Telner is currently focusing his practice on CBT treatment for Obsessive Compulsive Disorder and its spectrum, Panic Disorder, Social Phobia, Specific Phobia, Generalized Anxiety Disorder, as well as Major Depressive Disorder.

Ms. Linnea Andersson is a Psychology Resident at the OICBT. She has a M.Sc. in Psychology from Lund University, Sweden. Part of her academic program was carried out at Université de Montréal, Quebec. In Sweden, Ms. Andersson worked as a clinical psychologist in a community-based clinic specializing in preschool children and their families. Ms. Andersson utilizes a cognitive behavioural approach to therapy and is involved in the OICBT’s intensive day treatment program for OCD, the Dialectic Behavioural Therapy Program and the Virtual Reality Program. Ms. Andersson offers services in English, French and Swedish.

Dr. Natasha Ballen is a Clinical and Health Psychologist who provides individual, group, and couples therapy treatment to adults. She uses primarily a cognitive-behavioural therapy (CBT) approach, however she also has training and experience in other approaches including experiential, interpersonal, and dialectical behaviour therapy. She treats a wide variety of problems, including mood and anxiety disorders, personality-related problems, health issues (e.g., coping with acute and chronic medical problems, health-anxiety), and women’s health concerns. An area of special interest and experience is in the assessment and treatment of psychological issues related to pregnancy and postpartum adjustment (e.g., postpartum depression and anxiety, “baby blues”).

Dianne Blackburn, MSW, RSW, is a social worker with 25 years of experience in helping people with issues around substance use/abuse and co-occurring mental illnesses (e.g., depression, bi-polar disorder, anxiety, borderline personality disorder, ADHD). Dianne trained at the Beck Institute for Cognitive Therapy and Research, and received her cognitive therapy certification through the Academy of Cognitive Therapy. Dianne uses cognitive behavioural and dialectical behavioural approaches.

Ms. Bruyea received her degree in Behavioural Psychology from St. Lawrence College. Ms. Bruyea’s primary approach to therapy is cognitive behavioural. She currently works within the OICBT home- and community-based program with individuals with anxiety, depression, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and attentional problems. This program is specifically helpful for individuals with goals around organization, home management, facing feared situations, increasing social and/or physical activity, and putting exposure response prevention (ERP) goals in place. She offers treatment in office as well as within home and community.

Dr. Claggett Woods received her Ph.D. in clinical psychology from Suffolk University in Boston, Massachusetts, completing clinical placements at McLean Hospital's OCD Institute (OCDI) and the Center for Anxiety and Related Disorders (CARD) at Boston University. She completed her pre-doctoral residency at Rogers Behavioral Health in Wisconsin, with a special focus on the treatment of severe OCD and PTSD. In addition to individual therapy, she is also currently involved in the OICBT's intensive day treatment program for OCD, and the training and supervision of clinical psychology graduate students.

Dr. Elliott specializes in cognitive behavioural treatments for anxiety, mood, traumatic stress and obsessive-compulsive and related disorders. She completed her Pre-doctoral Internship and Postdoctoral Fellowship training at the Massachusetts General Hospital/Harvard Medical School. Dr. Elliott provides comprehensive assessment and individualized treatment to adults, and is also involved in the Centre for Group Therapy at the OICBT. Her practice primarily focuses on OCD, panic disorder, social anxiety disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, PTSD, depression and insomnia. Dr. Elliott is also an active researcher and has published several scientific articles and book chapters involving the onset, maintenance and treatment of anxiety disorders and obsessive-compulsive and related disorders.

Becky has been an Occupational Therapist at the OICBT since receiving her master’s degree in Occupational Therapy from McMaster University. She currently offers treatment in the community as well as in the intensive OCD clinic. Becky has experience working with people of many ages (3-102), socio-economic backgrounds, and diagnoses (from spinal cord injuries to schizophrenia). She primarily uses cognitive-behavioural, dialectical behavioural, and acceptance and commitment approaches. Some of Becky’s areas of interest are co-occurring substance-abuse and mental health issues as well as working with those in the LGBTQ+ community. Becky also belongs to the Alliance to End Homelessness Ottawa.

Dr. Foot is a clinical and health psychologist providing cognitive behavioural therapy combined with mindfulness and acceptance based approaches. She works with adult clients experiencing a range of difficulties, including mood disorders (depression, bipolar disorder), anxiety disorders (generalized anxiety, social anxiety disorder, panic disorder, agoraphobia, obsessive compulsive disorder, specific phobias), and adjustment related difficulties (e.g., stressful life transitions, grief, work-related challenges). She also has an interest in helping clients address low self-esteem, relationship concerns, anger management problems, and difficulties with assertiveness. In the area of health and illness, Dr. Foot works with individuals experiencing health-related anxiety as well as those adjusting to illness (e.g., fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue, cancer). Dr. Foot has also previously worked at the Ottawa Hospital in the Shared Mental Health Care Program. She brings a caring, collaborative approach to her work with clients and aims to help individuals identify and work towards their goals. In addition to her clinical work, Dr. Foot is involved in the supervision and training of doctoral students in clinical psychology.

Nathalie Freynet is a Psychology Resident at the OICBT, who is completing her PhD in Clinical Psychology at the University of Ottawa. Ms Freynet’s primary approach to therapy is cognitive behavioural. She also has experience working with other evidence-based approaches including interpersonal therapy (IPT), emotion focused therapy (EFT), acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT), and dialectical behaviour therapy (DBT). Ms. Freynet is involved in a number of OICBT programs including the intensive day treatment program for OCD and anxiety disorders, the virtual reality program, the behavioural change group, and the intensive assessment and diagnosis program. Nathalie offre aussi des services en français.

Dr. Natasha Gosselin is a psychologist under supervised practice who provides adult clients with assessment and treatment for anxiety, depression, grief and loss, relationship and interpersonal difficulties, low self-worth/esteem, and negative core beliefs. She has a special interest in pregnancy, perinatal and postpartum depression and anxiety. Natasha collaborates with her clients to develop a treatment plan tailored to their needs and goals. She uses a cognitive-behavioural approach and integrates elements of schema therapy, experiential, and dialectical behavioural therapy. Natasha leads the Core Beliefs group therapy program at OICBT, which helps clients learn to challenge longstanding negative core beliefs with the goal of developing a healthier and more positive self-view. She is excited to begin incorporating the use of Virtual Reality technology into treatment for anxiety to help clients face and overcome fears.

Dr. Jamshidi provides individual and group therapy services to adults and supervises graduate students in clinical psychology. She works with individuals experiencing a broad range of mental health concerns, including: depression and anxiety, bipolar disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, PTSD, psychosis, and personality disorders. Dr. Jamshidi also works with individuals who are trying to adjust and cope after a difficult life experience, and those who would like to make a change in their lives or work towards a goal. Her approach to therapy is primarily cognitive-behavioural, although she incorporates other evidence-based interventions when need be. In addition to her work at the OICBT, Dr. Jamshidi conducts research on mental health services offered in the community, with a focus on finding ways that the services can be improved. Dr. Jamshidi offers services in English and Farsi.

Dr. Kelly provides individual and group treatment to adults for mood and anxiety disorders using a variety of cognitive-behavioural therapies. An area of focus and interest is the treatment of posttraumatic stress using CBT techniques. Dr. Kelly also provides cognitive-behavioural treatment for anxiety and depression associated with tinnitus. Prior to joining the OICBT Dr. Kelly was a psychologist in the Anxiety Disorders Program at the Royal Ottawa Mental Health Centre. He is currently an Adjunct Research Professor in the Department of Neuroscience and Lecturer in the Department of Psychology at Carleton University. In addition to publishing scientific papers, Dr. Kelly is co-author of the clinician manual “Treating Psychosis: A Clinician's Guide to Mindfulness, Acceptance, and Compassion-Based Approaches within the Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Tradition”. He is also co-author of the Canadian Adaptation of the textbook “Research Methods in Psychology” for Oxford University Press.

Stacey Kosmerly is a Psychology Resident at the OICBT. She has a MA in Applied Psychology from Laurentian University. Ms. Kosmerly uses primarily a cognitive behavioural approach to therapy. She has also received training in emotion focused therapy (EFT) and acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT), and she draws from these approaches when appropriate. Ms. Kosmerly is involved in the OICBT’s Adult Attention Deficit Disorder Intensive Assessment Program, the Dialectic Behavioural Therapy (DBT) Program, and the Virtual Reality Program. She offers services in English.

Dr. Lumb completed his Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology at the University of Ottawa and his pre-doctoral residency at The Ottawa Hospital. Dr. Lumb also works as a psychologist at The Royal in their Substance Use and Concurrent Disorders Program. He provides individual and group therapy to adults in the areas of clinical and health psychology. He uses primarily a cognitive-behavioural therapy approach and also has training and experience in other empirically supported treatments such as interpersonal and emotion-focused therapy. His areas of practice include mood and anxiety disorders, personality-related difficulties, substance use, adjustment and coping with health conditions (e.g., cancer, HIV, pain), eating disorders, and psychotic spectrum disorders. He is currently an active member on the Education and Training Committee of the Canadian Psychological Association (CPA).

Mary Oldford-MacIntosh holds a Masters in Occupational Therapy from McMaster University and a Bachelor of Arts, Psychology, from Mount Saint Vincent University. She has worked as an occupational therapist since 2003. Since then, Mary has worked in a variety of settings, including inpatient, outpatient, community mental health centres, private medical clinics, and private occupational therapy offices. She assists clients to achieve their functional goals, strengthen illness management and achieved greater home and community engagement. She has experience providing assessments, treatment, collaborative goal-setting, and counselling to adult patients for a variety of health-related concerns, including: anxiety, depression, obsessive compulsive disorder, chronic pain, and return to work concerns. As an OT with the Ottawa Institute of Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, Mary works within the CBT model and in collaboration with Psychologists to provide evidence based assessment and treatment for clients in the Home and Community Program, and the Intensive OCD Program.

Dr. Jeff Perron, C.Psych is Psychologist under supervised practice at OICBT. He completed his PhD in Clinical Psychology at the University of Ottawa where his research focused on the development of a measure to assess parents' readiness to change. He holds an MBA from Wilfrid Laurier University and has a background in Human Resources. In his clinical work, he applies the range of evidence-based cognitive behavioural therapies, including Schema Therapy and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy.

Dr. Peterson completed her Pre-doctoral Residency at the Royal Ottawa Mental Health Centre. She provides psychodiagnostic assessments as well as individual and group therapy treatment for diverse adult populations. Her primary approach to therapy is cognitive behavioural and she has experience and training in a number of evidence-based approaches, including dialectical behaviour therapy, mindfulness, and acceptance and commitment therapy. She is dedicated to establishing a safe and open therapeutic environment and working collaboratively with clients to meet their individual needs. Dr. Peterson’s practice focuses on individuals experiencing a wide range of psychological issues, including: mood (including depression and bipolar disorder), anxiety disorders, trauma-related disorders, health and disability related issues, grief and loss, chronic pain, and adjustment disorders. She has a particular interest and experience working with posttraumatic stress and forensic issues (addictions, anger, ADHD). She is involved in the supervision of doctoral students in clinical psychology. She is also committed to continuing program development and evaluation in the community in an effort to develop more effective and accessible mental healthcare programs.

Kirstine Postma worked as a Consultant (Lead) Clinical Psychologist in the U.K., during which time she had the opportunity to develop her expertise in the treatment of Post-Traumatic Stress. She has a Postgraduate Diploma in Cognitive-Behavioural Therapy and many years’ experience of teaching & training people in CBT. She is Certified in both CBT and EMDR and worked in a Dialectical Behaviour Therapy team in the UK. Each of these therapies has a strong evidence-base in the treatment of Post-Traumatic Stress and its related disorders (the spectrum of depression, anxiety, self-harm and substance misuse). In addition, Ms. Postma has over 15 years’ experience in the practice of Mindfulness. She teaches a range of mindfulness skills on both an individual and a group level, as requested. Ms Postma looks to develop a collaborative working relationship with her clients, focusing on teaching skills of living as appropriate to life circumstances and presenting difficulties.

Dr. Quintana completed her doctoral studies at the University of Quebec in Outaouais. As part of her practicum training she provided therapy at Montfort Hospital and the Laboratory of Anxiety Disorders in Québec. Currently, she offers assessments and treatment in English, French and Spanish to adults with a range of difficulties including anxiety, mood disorders, obsessive-compulsive and related disorders, personality issues, insomnia and trauma-related disorders. She also works with clients struggling with self-esteem and assertiveness. Dr. Quintana also provides treatment of anxiety through the use of virtual reality equipment. Research has shown, than this new evidence-based technology seems to be preferred by some clients over the traditional methods of exposure because it provides a safe, controlled and less confrontational environment to face their fears. Dr. Quintana has been trained throughout her doctorate studies in regards to this type of treatment by the Cyberpsychology Laboratory. Her main approach is using Cognitive-Behavioural Therapy while integrating Interpersonal Therapies to best suit the needs of her clients. Her focus is to create a warm atmosphere fostering trust in which clients feel comfortable to express their needs and work towards their goals.

Ms. Lily Repa is a Psychology Resident at the OICBT. She is a PsyD student at the Memorial University of Newfoundland. Lily has had experience in a variety of settings during her doctoral training, including outpatient community clinics, inpatient hospital and residential services, a university counselling centre, and private practice, working with adults, adolescents, and children and their families. Lily primarily utilizes a cognitive behavioural approach to therapy, and has additional experience with CBT-I for the treatment of insomnia. She is involved in the OICBT’s intensive day treatment program for OCD and anxiety-related disorders, the Core Beliefs group therapy program, the ADHD assessment services, and the virtual reality program.

Kathryn Sexton specializes in cognitive behavioural treatments for anxiety and mood disorders and chronic stress. Her areas of special interest and experience are in the assessment and treatment of worry/generalized anxiety disorder, health anxiety, and insomnia, and in chronic stress and pain management related to irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) or to immune-mediated inflammatory diseases such as MS and IBD. She also treats a wide variety of problems, including depression, panic disorder and agoraphobia, social anxiety, PTSD and other trauma-related anxiety, obsessive-compulsive disorder, sleep difficulties, chronic pain, and adjustment to acute and chronic medical problems. Her primary approach to therapy is cognitive behavioural, and she also incorporates complementary evidence-based therapies including Prolonged Exposure, Exposure and Response Prevention, Behavioural Activation, Applied Relaxation, Mindfulness, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, and Solution-Focused Therapy.

Ms. Sexton received her Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from Concordia University in Montreal, training in the Anxiety Disorders Laboratory. She completed her Pre-doctoral Residency at the Clinical Health Psychology Program within the College of Medicine at the University of Manitoba in Winnipeg. She conducted further postdoctoral training in the Inflammatory Bowel Disease Clinical and Research Centre at the University of Manitoba and Health Sciences Centre in Winnipeg. She has previously worked with the Cognitive Behaviour Therapy Institute of Manitoba. Ms. Sexton currently sits on the Board of the Canadian Association of Cognitive-Behavioural Therapies - L’Association Canadienne des thérapies cognitives et comportementales (CACBT – ACTCC). Ms. Sexton is also an active researcher and has published several scientific articles and book chapters on cognitions and behaviours influencing worry/generalized anxiety disorder, health anxiety, and stress in chronic gastrointestinal diseases. Madame Sexton offre des services en français et en anglais.

Dr. Dhrasti Shah is a Clinical and Health psychologist under supervised practice who provides adult clients with assessment and treatment for depression, anxiety (i.e., GAD, social, illness, and panic), stress (e.g., school, university and work), post-traumatic stress and related difficulties, grief and loss, relationship and interpersonal difficulties, and navigating life transitions. She has a special interest in health-related difficulties (i.e., coping with acute and chronic medical problems, fear of cancer or illness reoccurrence, health-anxiety). She works with her clients to develop a treatment plan that is tailored to their individual needs, with the goal of increasing their quality of life and functioning. She primarily uses a cognitive-behavioural therapy (CBT) approach, however she also has training and experience in other approaches including, interpersonal, and dialectic behaviour therapy.

Dr. Melissa Tiessen is a registered psychologist in the areas of Clinical and Health Psychology. She completed her Bachelor of Arts, Honours degree in psychology at the University of Winnipeg, in Winnipeg, Manitoba, and in 2007 received her Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from McGill University in Montreal, Quebec. Dr. Tiessen completed her pre-doctoral internship in the Department of Psychology at the Jewish General Hospital in Montreal, and her post-doctoral residency in the Department of Clinical Health Psychology at the University of Manitoba. Dr. Tiessen went on to work as an Assistant Professor in the Department of Clinical Health Psychology within the Rural and Northern Program, and later worked within the Cardiac Rehabilitation Program of The Ottawa Hospital/University of Ottawa Heart Institute. She also previously served as the Director of the Education Directorate of the Canadian Psychological Association, overseeing the association’s national accreditation and continuing education programs. Dr. Tiessen has presented at local, national, and international conferences and co-authored a number of journal articles. In addition to her foundational training in cognitive-behavioral therapy, Dr. Tiessen has completed training in EMDR as well as in mindfulness-based symptom management and mindfulness-informed cognitive behavioral therapy. Dr. Tiessen’s practice focuses on assessment and treatment services for adults. She has experience and expertise working with individuals facing challenges due to depression, anxiety, stress, trauma, chronic pain, and other chronic health conditions.

Kiran Vadaga obtained his Ph.D. in clinical psychology from Concordia University and completed his pre-doctoral internship at the McGill University health care centre. He provides psychodiagnostic assessment and treatment for adult attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), mood and anxiety disorders, and chronic pain. He also works with clients who have interpersonal difficulties. Kiran uses an integrative approach to therapy drawing from cognitive, behavioural, interpersonal, and mindfulness traditions.

Dr. Alison Welsted is a Clinical, Health, and Rehabilitation Psychologist who works with adults to provide assessment, diagnosis, and treatment of mental health conditions, including depression and anxiety (generalized, social, health, panic, phobias), obsessive-compulsive disorders (OCD, hoarding, body dysmorphia, hair-pulling, skin-picking), posttraumatic stress reactions (including PTSD), and personality-related issues. Dr. Welsted has particular interest in the areas of health promotion (e.g., exercise, sleep, smoking cessation, stress management, weight management) and women’s reproductive health concerns (e.g., infertility, menopause). Dr. Welsted’s primary approach is cognitive-behavioural with additional training and experience in third wave therapies (e.g., dialectical behaviour therapy, mindfulness, acceptance and commitment therapy). She works collaboratively with clients to understand their difficulties and to develop individualized treatment plans. Dr. Welsted also holds a position at The Ottawa Hospital, and she is a Clinical Professor in the School of Psychology at the University of Ottawa.

Dr. Zhao received her Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from Concordia University. She provides psychodiagnostic assessment and individual and group treatment to adults and transitional aged youth. She works with individuals who cope with a range of difficulties, such as mood disorders, anxiety disorders, obsessive compulsive and related disorders, insomnia, bipolar disorders, trauma and stress-related disorders, and emotion regulation difficulties. Her primary approach to therapy is cognitive behavioural therapy and she incorporates other evidence-based approaches, including mindfulness, acceptance and commitment, and dialectical behaviour therapies. She is involved in the supervision of doctoral students in clinical psychology. Dr. Zhao has a special interest in promoting cultural clinical psychology and respecting cultural issues in the delivery of mental health practice to diverse populations. She provides clinical services in English and Mandarin.